The appointment of Saudi Arabia’s UN ambassador Abdulaziz Alwasil to chair the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) has ignited a firestorm of criticism from human rights organizations and raised eyebrows across the international community. The Saudi bid for the position went unopposed, as part of a rotation among the UN’s five regional groups. The Asia group, which includes Saudi Arabia, confirmed the candidacy unanimously—a move that has become customary and rarely challenged, perhaps in fear of disrupting diplomatic norms.
The backlash is grounded in what many see as a stark contrast between Saudi Arabia’s track record on women’s rights and the mandate of the CSW. Human rights groups have underscored this dissonance with scathing remarks. “Saudi Arabia’s election as chair of the UN Commission on the Status of Women shows shocking disregard for women’s rights everywhere,” stated Louis Charbonneau, UN director at Human Rights Watch. He added that “A country that jails women simply because they advocate for their rights has no business being the face of the UN’s top forum for women’s rights and gender equality.”
Amnesty International has also weighed in, with Sherine Tadros, the deputy director for advocacy, expressing that “The Commission on the Status of Women has a clear mandate to promote women’s rights and gender equality and it is vital for the chair of the commission to uphold this.” Tadros continued, calling attention to the kingdom’s “abysmal record,” and critiquing the 2022 Personal Status Law, which she said “entrenches gender-based discrimination in every aspect of family life.”
Indeed, while Saudi Arabia has made some notable reforms in recent years, such as granting women the right to drive in 2018 and easing some restrictions on dress and living arrangements, rights groups point out that the kingdom still enforces laws that embody gender inequality. Women continue to need male guardians’ permission for critical life decisions, and there have been instances of female activists being detained, placed under travel bans, and restricted in their speech.
The CSW’s role as a leading global advocate for gender equality and women’s rights is at the heart of the contention over Saudi Arabia’s new leadership role. The country’s own UN mission has acknowledged its slow pace toward progress, stating that “Saudi Arabia is tiptoeing on women progress, but the road is still long to go.” Despite this, the mission underscored that “Women empowerment is a collective aim of the international community” and highlighted the kingdom’s steps towards reforms.
However, the commission’s chairmanship decision comes against a broader backdrop of concern over the state of global gender equality. UN Secretary-General António Guterres has highlighted the resurgent challenges to women’s rights, declaring that “Patriarchy is far from vanquished; it is regaining ground.”
Relevant articles:
– Outrage as Saudi Arabia picked to head women’s rights forum – DW – 03, DW (English), Thu, 28 Mar 2024 11:28:42 GMT
– Reject Saudi Bid to Chair UN Women’s Rights Forum, Human Rights Watch, Tue, 19 Mar 2024 07:00:00 GMT
– Saudi Arabia elected chair of UN forum for women’s rights, Semafor, Wed, 27 Mar 2024 17:47:00 GMT